Year 9 Rocks the House workshop at the Natural History Museum

Published on 13/11/18

On Monday 12 November, Year 9 visited the Natural History Museum in London to explore the mechanisms of plate tectonics and the hazards that geological processes create at different plate boundaries as part of the Earthquake topic that they are studying this term in Geography lessons.

The day began by exploring the volcanoes and earthquakes exhibition where pupils saw volcanic glass hair, lava bombs and heat suits used by scientists studying volcanoes as well as experiencing what it is like to be in an earthquake in the Kobe supermarket earthquake simulator. By completing games and watching real life footage of tectonic events pupils were able to develop their understanding of the processes that shape our world and consider how these impact the lives of people who live with the threat of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on a daily basis.

Pupils later took part in the Rocks the House workshop which saw them shouldering the weight of the world's tectonic plates and getting to grips with the geophysics of cold custard. They even managed to make their own earthquake which certainly felt off the Richter Scale!

This interactive trip successfully brought the topic of earthquakes and volcanoes to life to consolidate pupils’ understanding of the concepts learnt in the classroom and was a fulfilling day enjoyed by all.